NSO at Wolf Trap: America the Beautiful & Ansel Adams

Chris and Dave Brubeck's 2013 Grammy-nominated composition Ansel Adams: America, as performed by the National Symphony Orchestra, provides a stirring backdrop for more than 100 of the famed photographer and environmentalist's stunning images, shown on huge screens in-house and on the lawn at Wolf Trap. Conducted by Emil de Cou, this visual and aural outdoor feast also serves up patriotic favorites by Copland and Gershwin, along with excerpts from John Williams' score for the movie Lincoln. This exciting evening marks one of the first times that Adams' majestic pictures have been shown in a concert setting. Son of the late legendary jazz man Dave, Chris Brubeck is an accomplished musician and composer himself, and he'll appear with Rich Kleinfeldt of WETA for a pre-show discussion.

Reviews & Ratings

We really enjoyed the music/photo combination conception. The NSO was lovely and the conductor was fantastic and funny at the same time. We wished words were provided for the second verse of America the Beautiful since few of us knew the words. A real feel good American experience!

This was certainly NOT one of NSO's better Wolf Trap performances. I didn't care for their rendition of "American in Paris" at all which is a favorite of mine. The Ansel Adams photographs were interesting to see but the accompanying music was...continued

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Quotes & Highlights

“As majestic images of Half Dome and Horsetail Falls fade in and out on a giant screen, the music builds and then melts to mirror the majesty of a church or echoes the Southwestern style as a mission takes the screen. When the final moonlit mountain went dark, the music stopped and the full house erupted. The effect is both inspiring and humbling.” —J.T. Long, _Sacramento Press _
Learn more about the pre-show presentation, which begins 60 minutes before show time.

Description

Program:

Copland: _Fanfare for the Common Man _

Williams: Music from the movie _Lincoln _

Copland: _A Lincoln Portrait _

Brubeck: Ansel Adams: America

Gershwin: _An American in Paris _

About the Ticket Supplier: Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts